Ice buildup and other forms of frozen and unfrozen precipitation on the rails of a railroad track can have an adverse effect on traction of a train, as well as creating other potential problems with track switches. Monitoring systems for the railroad industry provide methods and apparatus for detecting an accumulation of snow or ice around a track switch that may result in blockage of a moving part of the switch or other malfunction of the switch. Electrical heating elements are arranged on rail sections that include a track switch, with the temperature or detection of accumulation of snow controlling the operation of a regulator, which in turn regulates the temperature of the heated rail section.
One problem associated with existing precipitation monitoring systems is that the height of the snow detected by the sensor may not correspond accurately enough to the snow accumulation on the track switch. Existing snow sensors may also have the problem that they operate upon the basis of a resistance change between two electrodes, or upon the basis of a change in the inductance of a sensing coil. As a result, existing snow sensors may respond not only to snow but also to dirt, dust and other foreign objects that come into contact with the sensors
One attempt to overcome some of the problems with existing snow sensors is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,974,993 of Hammecke that issued on Aug. 17, 1976 (the '993 patent). The '993 patent provides a capacitive snow-detecting means that includes a snow measuring capacitor with capacitor electrode plates spaced apart to form an open snow accumulator. The '993 patent contends that the change in capacitance undergone by such a measuring capacitor in response to the presence of snow and/or ice intermediate the capacitor electrodes differs markedly from the capacitance change resulting from the introduction of dirt, dust, iron and stone dust, or sand in between the capacitor electrodes.
Although the detection system of the '993 patent may help to reduce the number of false indications of precipitation along the rails, it may be less than optimal. In particular, the '993 patent looks at the height of accumulation of either snow or ice between the electrode plates of the measuring capacitor, and turns on a heater when the height reaches a certain amount. The '993 patent does not distinguish between the different types of possible precipitation, and whether the precipitation is frozen or unfrozen, and furthermore the '993 patent does not provide different control instructions based on different types of precipitation.
The system and method of the present disclosure solves one or more problems set forth above and/or other problems in the art.